Being born in Venezuela, I have been surrounded by classical music my whole life, with the musical education from conservatories and orchestral experiences from Venezuela’s El Sistema.
However, classical music is perceived in the United States as being something only for a privileged class, when in fact it is a cultural patrimony that is for everyone. There has long been a great degree of discussion about how to make classical music “more accessible” to the broader population, and about how to make it more appealing to “normal people”. Its reach and appeal are what Mission Classical Music is meant to address.
Prior to the pandemic it was difficult enough to attract people to concerts. The cancellation of rehearsals and performances for such a long period of time due to the pandemic exacerbated this problem, making it even more of a challenge to bring people into conversation with classical music.
Mission Classical Music aims to address this issue and to make classical music accessible to far more people, reaching into demographics and portions of our population that may not have ever considered attending a performance, by communicating better the stories this kind of music tells, the way in which it can touch our hearts, and how each of our journeys and stories are reflected in the music.
The ability to appreciate classical music will enrich all of us and contribute to a greater respect for our shared culture.
